


We Could Be

by InsecureDolphin



Category: Andi Mack (TV)
Genre: F/F, F/M, M/M, but I don’t address anything that’s happened in the show since then, now i’ve just made a whole fanfic that i’ll be updating every week (maybe), the events in this story take place right after Marty and Buffy “break up”, then I wrote another one shot that tied into the one before it, this started out as a one shot on Tumblr
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-24
Updated: 2018-02-24
Packaged: 2019-03-23 08:40:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,072
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13783815
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InsecureDolphin/pseuds/InsecureDolphin
Summary: Feelings are complex, we don’t always know how we feel. What’s scarier than not knowing...is meeting someone who is surer than anything.





	1. Water Under Burning Bridges

**Author's Note:**

> So I wrote these first three chapters on Tumblr and I’ve decided to continue this story on here. If you’ve already read all this, just know I’m working on new chapters that I haven’t/won’t post on my blog. If you haven’t already read this—I hope you enjoy!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marty and Buffy address what happened between them on the bridge. Buffy wants to leave everything behind them and continue on as usual, but Marty can’t carry on that way.

They sit in the Spoon, afternoon crowd chattering around them. It’s a Saturday so Buffy thought it would be the perfect chance to spend some time with Marty so that he knows she doesn’t hate him.  
He said he thinks they could be more than friends, but how he could think...so much going on, she didn’t know. Buffy doesn’t know what Marty’s life is like right now even though she’s in it, but just thinking of her life brings on an ache between her eyes. She has to practice until she’s better than the boys, now more than ever, so that when Tj tries to steal the ball from her again she would have already shot it into the net. Then there was Cyrus refusing to let her in or open up about how he was purposely going out with Iris whenever Andi wanted to meet up and talk about Jonah or how he would pick at the napkin in his lap when those moments came up. He was still dating Iris—the poor girl. Poor Cyrus. He wouldn’t even let Buffy comfort him anymore when it was clear things were getting to him, he said it was starting to concern Andi and suspicion would only arise from there. Things with Andi and Jonah were confusing, especially when no one could tell they were a couple because it would seem Jonah didn’t know what that meant. To top it all off, Buffy couldn’t talk to anybody about any of this. Not to her mom. Not to Marty. Bex was cool but she was too busy with her studies. It seemed like everyone just found it so easy to talk to Buffy about anything, even if it meant she couldn’t tell anyone what she was being told, that wasn’t so bad except for the fact she needed to vent once in awhile. But with no one to turn to...  
So with all of this, having to tutor Tj now, keeping Cyrus’ secret and being unable to even comfort him anymore, having to give couples counseling to one half of a couple all of the time. Buffy had no clue how she could even go about considering to look at Marty as more than a friend, when all she really needed now more than ever was a friend who just got her without her having to explain everything they most likely wouldn’t get. She needed Marty, but it wasn’t the way Marty needed her. How can you fill the hole in someone’s heart? Buffy was hoping burgers would do the trick.  
The waitress arrived with their food. She placed Marty’s down first and before Buffy could be given hers, Marty lays down the extra napkins he grabbed when he saw their food was on its way to the table and drops his tomato onto the wrinkled pile.  
Buffy was irritated but couldn’t understand why. She got her burger finally and decided to forget what Marty had done, after all, maybe he’s just nervous or distracted. They haven’t spoken in three days. She opens her burger and plucks two pickles off her patty and then leans over the table to drop them in Marty’s basket when he stops her.  
“I’m good,” He holds up a hand dismissively. “Thanks.”  
Buffy falls into her seat, steals one of the napkins out from under the clutter holding up his discarded tomato, and drops her pickles onto it for later discarding. “Look I know we’re not seeing eye to eye on this—”  
“Buffy.” Marty sighs.  
“What?” Buffy furrows her brows. “Am I missing something?”  
“Yeah, just the fact that you’re being insanely selfish.” Marty shakes his head before taking a bite of his burger.  
Buffy blinks slowly, her appetite gone. Marty’s hunger only grows and it’s clear when he starts eyeing his discarded tomato.  
“I’m being selfish? Me?” Buffy narrows her eyes. She’s done a lot to be called selfish, her competitive side alone has gotten her into trouble because she has to be the greatest at everything. She convinced Andi to talk to Bex about a makeover that would teach Amber to not mess with people even though Andi resisted because it wasn’t aligned with her morality. A small part of her is happy she’s the first to know about Cyrus being gay, about his crush on Jonah, and she’s glad that the two of them have grown closer even without Andi because as sweet as she is every conversation doesn’t revolve around her. There’s a lot to be said that could count as Buffy being selfish, but she never dreamt wanting a friend to stay a friend would fall under that category.  
Marty nodded simply.  
It only angered her more.  
“What’s selfish about wanting to stay friends?” Buffy asked.  
“That, in and of itself, isn’t selfish.” Marty says softly. Buffy relaxes. “And it’s not the reason I’m mad.”  
Buffy leaned over her burger which grows colder by the second. “Then what is making you mad at me. What made you storm off that bridge and avoid me for three days?”  
Marty stares intently. “Why didn’t you just tell me? Why flirt with me if—”  
“Wait whoa—I don’t flirt.”  
“Then what was going on between us?”  
“We were getting along!”  
“But it was more than that. We had a connection.”  
“Friends can have chemistry, Marty.”  
“It didn’t feel like that...”  
Tension settles over the table. Marty’s eyeing his discarded tomato even though he hates tomatoes. Buffy can’t even look at her burger without feeling nauseous.  
“Here.” Buffy pushes her untouched burger toward Marty.  
He stares at it like the gesture suddenly means less than it would have earlier...five days earlier. Buffy can’t tell if it does, if it will in the future, if their friendship will be less than it used to be. Worry sets in, her heart drops.  
Marty sighs, leaning forward to take the burger. “Thanks.”  
Buffy’s hands stop tingling, she relaxes her fists.  
“Don’t mention it.” She cracks a smile, chuckling to herself. “I could practically hear your stomach growling from here.”  
Marty remains somber as he scarfs down Buffy’s burger.  
When the burgers are finished, discarded burger contents left on the table on oily grease stained napkins, Buffy pays for their lunch and Marty thanks her before abruptly leaving. She catches up to him before he crosses the street. He rapidly presses the button at the crosswalk when he sees her coming.  
“Hey!” Buffy raises her arms at her sides. “I thought we were putting the past behind us. What happened in there? Why did you just bail on me?”  
Marty keeps his stare aimed at the digital red hand across the street, as if he could will it to turn into a man. He stays quiet until the stoplight turns yellow.  
“Things will never be the same between us.” He says, deflated. Buffy thinks he sounds so small and she wishes they were how they were before because right now she would have thrown an arm around his shoulders and tried to cheer him up. Would have tried to not focus on how horrible the person is that made Marty feel small. But realizing it’s her this second, she’s angry at herself. But she shouldn’t be in the wrong for just wanting to be friends...why does she feel so bad?  
The digital man pops up finally, signaling it’s safe to walk. Marty doesn’t move except to turn around to fully face Buffy. He looks so wounded. Like someone just kicked his puppy. No, like he is the puppy who was just kicked.  
“You’re not selfish for wanting to be friends...” Marty trails off.  
Buffy holds her breath.  
“But you can’t expect me to carry on like I don’t like you that way. Pretend as if none of that happened. I’m sorry Buffy, I can’t be there for you the way you need me to. It’s too painful. At least when I didn’t know how you felt there was a chance you could feel the same. But now I know you don’t, yet my feelings haven’t changed. You want things to go back to the way they were but I can’t be okay with that.”  
“What’re you sayi—”  
“You just want this to be water under the bridge.” Marty looks away. “But I think it’s more like a bridge burned.”  
Buffy can’t be sure but it looks like he’s blinking harder than normal. His eyes are glossier than normal, too. There’s something inside her that drops. Sinks. Fades away.  
Marty shakes his head and shuffles passed her, not caring that he still has 17 seconds to cross the street and he normally would be over there in under ten.  
Things are different now. Between them.  
Water under burning bridges.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think and if there is a ship you want me to write about in the later chapters let me know. These first three chapters are pre-written and already contain a LOT of Muffy, then later on Ambi and a little bit of Jyrus.


	2. Not All Breakup Songs Are Sad

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After things blow up in her face with Marty, Buffy heads to Cyrus’ house for some advice when a certain song brings her back to a sweet memory of her and Marty...and a realization.

The sun is low in the sky by the time Buffy reaches the corner just before Cyrus’ house. She presses the button before squatting on the curb to wait. This crosswalk always takes a good ten minutes until it allows you to walk, sometimes even if no cars are coming. Currently the road is barren, save for the few cars parked alongside the curb next to houses you could only tell apart on holidays. The different decorations would give away who is who. Mr. Collins celebrated Kwanzaa, his house is just two down from Cyrus. The house before Mr. Collins belongs to Ms. Nguyen who refuses to celebrate Halloween. Cyrus’ next door neighbors are the Parkers, every Thanksgiving they host a seven foot turkey on their roof. Right now the houses may all look alike, but Buffy can tell them apart from memory.  
She watches a few clouds drag across the sky, losing their form the farther they get. Losing pieces of themselves soon enough, until all that remains are thin white streaks across the pale pink and orange canvas above.  
Current mood, Buffy thinks.  
Another six minutes to go before she would be able to cross, so she decides to spend them on people watching...then shortly after the commitment realizes there are no people around to watch.  
Two minutes goes by before headlights can be seen up the road. A song blares out of the speakers of a car rolling up to the stoplight. The beat drums in time with her heartbeat, a few lyrics of the old teen pop R&B hit ring out and a memory fades in.

 

Friday morning. Sun breaks through the cold sky, barely bringing any warmth with its rays. Marty’s older sister, Kelsey, drives him and Buffy to school. She’s twenty one, already graduated, still living at home but just until her business of puppy costumes takes off. A boy band of the name Varsity Fanclub plays on the radio, a weirdly sappy song about one day meeting “the one.” Buffy and Marty sit in the back seat, lip syncing all the lyrics to each other. Buffy breaks out classic boy band moves which to her surprise, Kelsey, compliments and asks if she watched the music video.  
“No, they’re just predictable. Boy bands.” Buffy says before lip syncing the chorus again.  
Marty looks longingly at the pale blue sky, a ray of sunshine hitting his face dramatically. He runs his fingers through his hair and furrows his brows, lip syncing the bridge.  
They were making fun of the song, really, they didn’t even like that kind of music. But after awhile they dropped lip syncing altogether and began actually singing all the lyrics. They got into it. No more boy band moves, only their real moves. Kelsey slows the car at the red light and steals a glance at the kids in the back seat. The two goofballs who, just seconds ago, were making fun of her favorite music are genuinely enjoying it now.  
It ends finally. The next song was the same in pace as the one before it. Kelsey explained some teen pop R&B can be like that. Essentially it has its rhythm and it works. Though the pace was about the same, the message was entirely different. The first song was about finding the one someday, this song is about a relationship tying someone’s hands behind their back with nothing. It’s about a relationship headed for disaster...already in disaster.  
Marty and Buffy sing all the lyrics with just as much energy as the happier song before this one. They bust out their best moves, pretending like they’re in a music video, broken up and that the other hurt them deeply. Marty sings at Buffy as she playfully pushes him away. Kelsey joins in and the whole car is filled with voices belting out every lyric, the music vibrates the window Buffy dramatically pushes against as she turns back to Marty.  
The song ends and they all erupt into laughter.  
“Wow.” Kelsey says as she comes to a stop before the school.  
“Take it easy.” Marty leans forward to pat his sister on the shoulder. “You may experience some ringing in your ears when we leave.”  
“What?” Buffy asks. She didn’t think the music was that loud.  
“It’s a side effect, everyone knows that.” Marty turns back to his sister. “After angels bless you with their singing everything else is grating on the ears.”  
Kelsey throws her head back and laughs. “Well, one angel blessed me with her voice. Killer singing, Buffy!”  
Buffy smirks as Marty puts his hand to his chest, pretending to be wounded.  
“Alright already, go. You two are late.” Kelsey pushes Marty’s hand off her shoulder before pressing a kiss to his cheek. He rolls his eyes and jumps out of the car. Buffy follows, thanking Kelsey for the ride before closing the door behind her.  
Andi and Cyrus stand at the entrance to the school, puzzled at what has Marty and Buffy hysterical. They started singing the song to each other again as they walked up to their friends, their delivery of the lyrics as dramatic as ever.  
“What’s that you’re singing?” Andi asks, the corner of her mouth quirked up.  
“A teen pop R&B about a failed relationship.” Marty says through a grin.  
Andi and Cyrus look as baffled as ever.  
Buffy disregards them as she and Marty continue singing all the way into the school. She knows the singing will draw attention. It does. But happily singing a break up song is a little more than weird. The funny thing is, she couldn’t seem to care. Neither did Marty. They were in their own little world, free of judgment and rules. Why couldn’t they happily sing a break up song? Who could say it was wrong? No one.  
Buffy never imagined singing a break up song would be so much fun.

 

The song fades away as the car takes off down the road. After a few minutes, it’s safe to walk. But Buffy can’t think of why she needs to talk with Cyrus now when she already knows how she feels...she thinks she knows how she feels. Does she? Could she...? Actually...?  
Is it only Marty?  
Could she be happy singing a break up song with anyone else? Or was Marty the only person who could make anything gloomy absolutely fun? Or was that his sister? No. No, it was definitely him. He gave her confidence to actually let herself enjoy the music. To sing it through the halls until Principal Metcalf told them to keep it down because of classes in session. To be herself, and the new version of herself she was slowly becoming. She wasn’t as competitive as she used to be, she began to just enjoy whatever sport she was playing because of “the art and technique of it” as Marty put it. Tj wouldn’t let her get in a shot but Marty always would when they played private games. She couldn’t imagine leaning on anyone besides Marty. Maybe that’s why she couldn’t talk about Marty to anyone even if her friends were willing to listen. She always knew how she felt...but the only person she wanted to talk to about Marty was Marty.  
“Oh my god,” Buffy blew out a breath. “I like Marty.”  
—————————————————————————  
Buffy stood at the bridge. It had been twenty minutes since she sent the text.  
Maybe he’s out for a run, she thinks. He just needs to check his phone. He’ll be here any second now...  
Ten more minutes goes by.  
Any second now...  
Ten more minutes.  
Buffy huffs, turns around and leans against the railing.  
“He’s not coming.” She mumbles to herself.  
“Or,” Marty gets Buffy’s attention. He’s walking up to the bridge. Out of breath. “His phone could have been charging.”  
Buffy feels herself becoming flustered, butterflies in her stomach. She cracks a smirk. “Yeah, you always do turn off your phone to charge it. Dork.”  
“It charges faster.” Marty shrugs.  
“Does it?” Buffy quirks an eyebrow.  
Marty chuckles to himself, looking around at their surroundings. “Honestly, I don’t even know. It feels like it.”  
A beat allows for seriousness to creep into the moment. Buffy inhales sharply, as if she was about to step off a ledge. She didn’t understand how movies and tv shows always made this part romantic and beautiful when in actuality she felt like a lemming.  
“Marty—”  
“I’m sorry.”  
“What? What do you have to be sorry for?”  
“The way I behaved. You may not like me like that, but I should be grateful someone as amazing as you likes me even if only as a friend...” Marty furrows his brows. “Or am I completely wrong about that now?”  
“No! Of course I like you.” Buffy holds her breath, stepping toward Marty. “And now? I think I finally know in what way.”  
Marty knits his brows. “What do you mean...?”  
Buffy looks down at Marty’s hands, hesitating at first, but then taking them both in hers. “Marty, I can have fun with you.”  
“Buffy, you don’t have to give me the friend speech again,”  
“Please shut up.” Buffy says through a smile that spreads to Marty. “I can be myself with you. You don’t hesitate to tell me when I’m wrong...you’re not scared of me. You make me consider things I never would have even thought of...like happily singing a break up song at the top of my lungs.”  
Marty has a familiar flint in his eye, probably remembering that day.  
“In school. In front of everyone.” Buffy shakes her head. “You let me be me, but you also make me someone else. In a good way! I’m me, but, I’m also more. With you, I could be more. I want us to be more than friends.”  
Marty softens, his fingers laced with hers. “Yeah?”  
Buffy nods.  
“You’re sure? Because I don’t want this to be because—”  
“No, this isn’t out of pity,”  
“No. I just don’t want this to happen if it’s not what you want. I only want you to be happy, Buffy.”  
Buffy brings up their hands between them, stepping closer. “It is what I want. I like you Marty. I’m just not big on romance.”  
Marty smiles the brightest Buffy’s ever seen him, then drops their hands and steps back.  
“But that’s the best part about what we have, Buffy. We don’t have to be sappy like those couples in movies.” He extends a hand out to Buffy. “Join me for a run, partner?”  
Buffy smiles. “Better idea.”  
She takes off, sprinting.  
“I’ll race you to the school!” Buffy calls over her shoulder.  
“You never play fair, you had a head start!” Marty starts running after her.  
Buffy was right. Marty made her consider things she never would have even thought of. He made her consider not all break up songs are sad.


	3. Muffin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finally a couple, Buffy is determined to not lose Marty. She will not have them end up like Jonah and Andi who are currently on a break. She may be going overboard, but doing too much is better than nothing at all. Isn’t it?

“We need a wet towel!” Buffy screams at Andi, backing away from the stovetop where her grilled cheese slowly turns darker than the pan it fries in. A small flame is starting at the lower left corner of the sandwich.  
“Coming!” Andi shouts from the hallway, her nose in the closet.  
Just then, Bex and Miranda enter. Their riveting conversation about Wes Anderson movies cut short when both notice Buffy standing with her back to the fridge, a brown apron on, terror on her face. Her eyes are aglow with the fire on the stovetop.  
“Oh my god!” Bex shouts. Her mouth agape.  
Miranda hurries to the stove to turn off the burner. Bex crosses to the sink where she pulls out the fire extinguisher they keep tucked in the far back of the cabinet. Within seconds the flame is put out and the pan is carefully placed in the sink for further cooling off under the running faucet.  
Andi rushes into the kitchen with a dripping wet towel in hand. She’s frantic until she sees the fire has been put out...and just whom put it out. Her shoulders fall and she slightly wrings the towel in her hands.  
“Sorry,” Andi ducks her head to avoid meeting her mom’s stare.  
“Oh—um...” Miranda trails off, looking down at Andi’s feet.  
There’s a fist sized puddle growing. Andi pinches a dripping wet corner of the towel and folds it in on itself before placing it neatly on the countertop.  
Bex places her hands on her hips, a firm stare aimed on Buffy currently. “Well? What were you two doing? Cooking, without a grown up present?”  
Andi opens her mouth to protest any blame that may be on Buffy when the curly haired girl shrugs before accepting all the blame herself.  
“It’s all my fault.” Buffy meets Bex’s stare, matching the intensity save for the remorse she adds in.  
Andi sighs, coming to her friend’s side. “She said she would make Marty lunch before school.”  
“I just didn’t realize it would be so hard.” Buffy mumbles.  
Miranda and Bex share a look before she decides to slip out, promising to come back for coffee and donuts tomorrow. Andi and Buffy sit at the table, sensing a talk is about to happen. Buffy didn’t want to cause trouble. Especially not for Andi, that was the last thing the girl needed. Her relationship with Jonah ended a few days ago when it came out...when he came out. Jonah being bisexual didn’t bother Andi, she didn’t even mind that he told her he might have feelings for their friend, Cyrus. But it hurt when he said he no longer liked her that way, and he just needed to be without a girlfriend or boyfriend for awhile to think about things. Andi, of course, supported him and even suggested he try to tell Cyrus how he feels. She still doesn’t know Cyrus’ situation.  
But even being as smiley as ever, Buffy could see the moments where Andi was hurting. Amber could, too. That’s why for the past few days that they’ve been going to the Spoon, Amber has been giving Andi free refills for her milkshakes. Andi refused the offer until Amber insisted it was allowed. It was not. Buffy kept quiet, though.  
Now here Buffy is, creating a fire in her best friend’s kitchen all because of a promise to make lunch for her and her boyfriend. She really didn’t want to cause any more trouble or pain for Andi because, though she insisted it would be a cute idea, it was clear she was reminded of all the things that couples do that her and Jonah will never get to do now.  
Buffy stares at her lap. Disappointed with herself, she picks at her name embroidered in gold threading across the middle of her apron. Her mom had it done for her. It was just after Buffy promised her neither would ever miss each other’s birthday, and so away happened the many birthday cakes she would have to make her mom and herself to only be seen over video chat. But it was worth it. Just to see her smiling face, proud Buffy was keeping her promise.  
If only she were her right now...  
Bex looks from the simmering grilled cheese still in its pan, jutting out of the sink, to the two girls in front of her. “What’s going on?”  
“We just told you—” Andi starts before Bex holds a hand up, silencing her.  
“I know the situation regarding the burnt grilled cheese. I meant...both of your situations. Are you guys okay?” Bex softens.  
Andi shakes her head slowly until it becomes vigorous. Buffy takes her hand which lays on the table as the other bunches the hem of her shirt.  
“I know it’s hard getting over your first crush,” Bex ducks until she can meet Andi’s stare. “I get it. It sucks. For now. But it will get better. It will get easier to see him again, to see other couples being all couple-y. Just give it time.”  
She moves her gaze to Buffy who meets it immediately.  
“And you. If a boy is putting enough pressure on you to make him a sandwich that you start a fire in your friend’s kitchen? He’s not worth it. But I know Marty, he’s not the one who put you up to this.” Bex quirked a brow. “Is he?”  
Buffy shakes her head.  
“Okay then. Don’t make this so stressful. Just buy him lunch!” Bex shrugs, grinning.  
Buffy and Andi share a laugh, glancing over at the other. They nod so that the conversation is over but both know it’s much more than a first crush not liking you back, and a burnt grilled cheese sandwich.  
—————————  
The Spoon was alive with conversation at every table. Amber’s friends were sat at the table in the farthest back. They don’t seem to notice her, and if they do they don’t seem to care to let her know they do. The only one who says “hi” and waves as she passes their table is Iris, still healing from her break up with Cyrus. The reasoning for their split is still kept a secret. Cyrus didn’t need to tell Iris he wasn’t ready, she just kept quiet and they continued hanging out. Buffy respected her but would never let the girl know.  
Andi slid into their booth finally. She had already made two trips to the bathroom, her face damp with a sheen of water from having splashed her face. She was doing fine, she insisted, just in need of a little waking up. Buffy tried hard to believe that even though Andi has no visible bags under her eyes, and the whites are as white as ever. But then, there is more than one way to be tired...  
“The usual?” Amber appears at their table wearing a bright smile. Her eyes flicking back and forth between Andi and Buffy before settling on Andi.  
Andi sighs. “Can you sit with us again?”  
Amber furrows her brows.  
Buffy knows she can’t, but she will. As she has for the past few days. Skipping out on lunch and having to scarf down a hearty dinner after work. Buffy didn’t know why but she kind of felt upset that Andi and Amber were getting so close. That Andi was almost relying on Amber more than her now. She shouldn’t because her and Cyrus have grown closer than all three of them have ever been. It just seemed more and more apparent the Good Hair Crew may be disbanding.  
“Of course!” Amber nods firmly. She puts her pad and pen away in the pouch of her waist apron and looks over her shoulder at her boss behind the counter, he’s already working two fryers. They were short on staff. “I’m taking my lunch break.”  
He nods irritatedly.  
Amber slides in beside Andi, takes up her hand and brings it to the table with hers. Andi drops her head onto Amber’s shoulder.  
Yep. Buffy thinks. The usual.  
Marty enters the restaurant, his backpack slung over one shoulder.  
“Hey, Muffin!” Buffy rises to bring him into a hug. It became a tight squeeze that wasn’t returned. Marty would have hugged back...if his arms weren’t pinned to his sides by Buffy.  
“Whoa! What’s gotten into you?” Marty pulls back from Buffy’s hold. “Did you just call me Muffin?”  
“Yeah! Of course. Why wouldn’t I? We’re boyfriend and girlfriend now. We should have pet names for each other.” Buffy feels sick. She can’t figure out what she’s doing, or why. “Right?”  
Marty stares at her, incredulous, before chuckling nervously. “I think I’ll just stick with Buffy. Is that okay? I’m terrible at coming up with nicknames. I’d probably just end up calling you Cutie Pie.”  
“That’s not so terrible.” Buffy actually thinks it’s better than Muffin.  
Marty laughs. “Except for the fact it’s wholly unoriginal and impersonal. At least you took the time to think of Muffin...why Muffin, though?”  
“Uh,” Amber stumbles over her lie, looking to Andi who covers for Buffy without thinking twice.  
“She remembered that time I made Jonah a muffin, which he didn’t show up...for. So it went to waste...” Andi trails off, her face scrunching up in sadness. Amber gives her hand a squeeze.  
“Right!” Buffy sees where Andi was going. “And there you were, right over her shoulder.”  
“Muffin!” Amber declares, holding her free hand up as if to present a prize to Marty.  
Marty looks between all three girls before taking his seat finally. “You’re all terrible at lying. But whatever the reason, I’m sure it required some thought. I like it.”  
Buffy forces herself to giggle, trying her hardest to bring on a blush. Everyone is staring at her. They all look concerned. She must be acting so strange, but she didn’t care. All Buffy could see just across from her and Marty was Andi looking fake happy as she clung to Amber’s side, their hands entwined until Amber’s lunch break was over.  
Buffy felt bad for her friend, but as selfish as it sounds, she was also determined to not end up like her.  
—————  
With spring around the corner, the cold weather lets up. Everyone wears windbreakers or lightweight hoodies. The sun is peeking out from the clouds and offers a little warmth in contrast to the wind.  
Andi sits on the curb as her and Buffy wait for Marty. Kelsey is driving him to school again but they had to stop to pick up some breakfast, he promised to pick up something for Buffy also. She bought them lunch yesterday so he agreed to buy them breakfast today.  
“He should be here already!” Buffy kicks a rock across the lot.  
“Just be patient, Buffy.” Andi shakes her head at her friend’s antics, a small smile on her lips. “I don’t think his sister would have him miss first period because of a breakfast burrito. He’ll be here.”  
Jonah’s mom pulls up to the curb.  
“And so will he.” Andi hangs her head, eyes fixated on the phone in her lap.  
“She can’t text during school.” Buffy takes a guess at who she’s awaiting a text from.  
Andi is about to answer when her phone rings out briefly. Her eyes light up and she takes up the phone as if someone texted her she won concert tickets.  
“I stand corrected.” Buffy rolls her eyes.  
Jonah walks over to them. He scratches the back of his head, looking like a child guilty of breaking the cookie jar only to find nothing there. He broke Andi, and in the end there wasn’t even a relationship to salvage. Or at least, there won’t be for awhile.  
Buffy shouldn’t be mad, she should understand what he’s going through because it’s the same as Cyrus. Trying to figure himself out. It’s not his fault he fell out of like with Andi, and it’s even more not his fault he thinks he may like Cyrus as more than a friend. Yet she still gets angry at how Jonah barely talks with Andi anymore.  
“H-hey, Andi.” Jonah refuses to meet her eyes.  
Andi refuses to look up from her phone, focused on one text from Amber.  
Everything will be fine :P  


She couldn’t understand why but just reading it made her breathe easier. “Hi.”  
Jonah notices the phone. He sneaks a peek at the contact. “Oh cool. You and Amber are getting pretty close?”  
Andi finally looks up, mustering a smile. “Yeah. She’s pretty amazing when you get to know her.”  
Jonah nods, smiling a genuine smile. He believes everything is okay.  
Andi is trying to believe that.  
“Well, I gotta head in. I’ll save you a seat at lunch?” Jonah steps around Andi, walking backward to talk with her.  
“Thanks, but I’m having lunch with Amber.” Andi says.  
Buffy turns around, confused. Angry.  
Jonah’s smile falters but he catches himself before it’s too noticeable. “Oh. Okay then. Tell Cyrus I’m saving him a seat, Buffy!”  
She nods before turning on Andi. Jonah’s already walked inside. “Please tell me you didn’t ask her to skip out on school, just to have lunch with you.”  
“Lunch is the same time for everyone, Buffy.” Andi chuckles.  
It doesn’t spread to Buffy. “You know that’s not what I meant.”  
“Do I? It was a pretty nonsensical question that I think I answered well enough.”  
“Andi.”  
Andi notices the firmness in Buffy’s voice. She rises off the curb, gathering her things. “I’m gonna head inside.”  
“I’m glad she’s there for you. Hear me out!” Buffy gets Andi to turn back, even if irritated. “I don’t think you should be so dependent on her, especially when it might be affecting her. Have you even stopped to consider how she may be feeling?”  
Andi hesitates before shaking her head at nothing in particular. “I’ll see you inside, Buffy.”  
With that, Buffy’s alone. Waiting at the curb for her boyfriend. Cyrus arrived early, as usual, so he should be waiting inside for her.  
Anger settles in.  
Cyrus is always the one to beat everyone to school. It is the usual. Jonah knew Cyrus would already be inside by now. That by heading in before Andi and Buffy he would run into him first. So why did he have to make a statement about how he would be giving Andi’s seat to Cyrus? Why did he feel the need to make a comment about her and Amber spending so much time together? Buffy couldn’t believe that a relationship ending was the cause of all this mess. So many questions because of one simple gesture. As Marty finally arrived and waved his sister off, she was determined not to let that come of them.  
Buffy was not happy with what she was about to do...but it was her only hope of keeping things between her and Marty how they’ve been. How they will always be. No drama. Marty promised them a drama-free relationship and Buffy would stop at nothing to see that through.  
Marty walks across the lot, a white paper bag in hand. He’s grinning from ear to ear. “Breakfast burritos delivered, property of Marty Eats—whoa!”  
Buffy wraps Marty in another one of her tight hugs. Her face is buried in his neck, like she’s seen all the female counterparts of the male love interests in cheesy rom-coms do. But it isn’t like the movies. It’s too hot on her face, his cologne is burning her nostrils...or maybe it’s his shampoo because she can’t remember Marty ever wearing cologne before. Has he started wearing cologne? Should she be wearing perfume?  
Buffy pulls back from the hug that yet again rendered Marty incapable of returning it. She forces her biggest, brightest smile. “Thanks, Pumpkin!”  
Marty laughs. “Am I gonna be a different food everyday? ‘Cause I could get used to that.”  
Shoot, she grimaces internally. He actually likes it.  
“Well then that’s what I’ll be doing. From now on. For as long as we’re together.” Buffy keeps up smiling.  
“Okay?” Marty walks around her, dangling the white paper bag between them. “I think we could finish these before first period.”  
“Willing to try!” Buffy says, smiling wide. She means what she said, but somehow smiling more than she would have takes away any truth in her statement. She feels sick. This isn’t her. Aside from the cologne, Marty seems to still be Marty. But she has to be more than just Buffy. She already told him he makes her more. She had to keep her word. Be more open to him. More affectionate. She couldn’t risk losing him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys liked this chapter! Let me know what you would like to see in Chapter 4 ;)


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